Working in Yoga

What if you came across this Hinge profile?

“Single and ready to Mingle 

Caucasian. Female.  Ages 25-39.

Looking to “find her zen”.  Immediate pass on anyone not like me, no chance of a smash.  Must be skinny, wear the latest Lulu, and have a guru.  Spirituality is a must, but not too much or that’s gross.  Not looking for any of that “woo-woo” Sanskrit shit, speak American please.  Ready to get your leg behind your head and pierce your way into my heart?  We might be soulmates, but when I see you out I won’t say hi; it’s cool, you are lucky you found me.  Perpetual upbeat attitude an absolute absolute must.  All vibes welcome, as long as they are good.  Speaking of good, you’ve gotta be healthy.  Healthy food, healthy body.  Healthy, natural odors welcome. I have already manifested you in my mind, so you better step up.  Love a good touch session, but don’t worry–you’ll never know it’s coming.  I know your body better than you. Let’s flow together. #alllivesmatter”

Is that a swipe left for you?

Our red flags are up on the podcast this week, and I think you will find them interesting.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Website

Working In Yoga Newsletter

Pamela Brown’s Podcast episode

This week we are talking about the profession of yoga research w/ Dr. Steffany Moonaz, the founder of Yoga For Arthritis.

Steffany tells us about the unique path she took to yoga therapy and eventually yoga research, and how you can work in the field of research as well.

It is important to hear from yoga professionals who are on the cutting edge of shifting conversations and language, and so I think this podcast episode will inspire you to pull out your most professional pants and head into the arena of yoga with medical and education professionals.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

-Yoga therapists tend to take roundabout ways to get into the career.  This is true for so many of us, so if you feel like it is too late, or you have a story you think is “too quirky”--rest assured.  Your story is so many of us.

-” Yoga near me” is such a challenge for those of us who work in specialized populations or the yoga therapy field.  Make sure that those who are in your area know to call you specifically if they are looking for someone who does your kind of work or needs a yoga professional who is different than what would typically come up from a “yoga near me” Google search.

-When getting training it is important to learn from experts who not only have deep knowledge but also know how to teach other people.  Vet your trainers and make sure they can also teach what they know when you are seeking out new information and learning.

-Feedback is critical when learning new content as a yoga pro. Especially as you grow and evolve, being connected to your teachers is crucial to honing your craft. 

-Learn how to teach.  Learn how to teach a thing from a skilled teacher for adults.

-There is a tension between modern Western scientific practice and yoga philosophy and practice that we all hold as we learn more and dive deeper into the teaching of yoga.  If you feel that tension, know that you are totally normal, many of us feel it, and we all strike our own unique balance between the two.

-If you are lucky enough to be interviewing to be a yoga pro in a medical or academic environment…please be on time.  And for the love of all that is holy, wear regular pants.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Website

Working In Yoga Newsletter

Steffany Moonaz’s Yoga For Arthritis Website

Symposium for Yoga Research 2023

Sunlight Streams Blog

Smart women talking about the thing that lights them up.  In Nicole’s case that is business and money.   Money is the conversation we all avoid like the plague in this industry.  The conversation usually goes: If you are pro-yoga, you are anti-money.  If you are pro-money, that isn’t yoga.  

So I am actively seeking to reframe this conversation.  We deserve to earn a sustainable income as a profession, and if we truly seek to help others–we have an obligation to not be the person who needs help ourselves.

Nicole and I talk yoga studio shop, which can apply to not just owners, but to everyone in the industry interested in trends and the health of our industry.

Key Takeaways:

-Good things happen when good people have more money. Money is just energy, and when it is the hands of people with good values like yoga folks, we can do good work with it.

-Our industry is headed back to life, and yoga and meditation are needed right now.  From a business perspective the motivator for our clients to come to us has shifted.  Folks are looking for mental and emotional health support now more than ever.

-While we are still online, our in-person experiences are back and robust as an industry.  Each business is different, and in our post-covid world there is no “one” right way to run your yoga business.  What an absolute relief, eh?

-Making sure you know what your core values are in your business is critical.  Using those core values to help make decisions about what you do helps you stay aligned with who you are as a business owner.

-Forecast your business past December 2023.  What are you doing for January 2024 and beyond?  Being prepared is the best strategy to a successful future.

-Set future you up to thrive in times of crisis.  Make a list, spreadsheet, Trello board, whatever you want to that helps you prepare for future challenges.  Do the same thing for preparing your business for future success.

-And Finally, something Nicole and I both need to work on, Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back when you achieve your goals, it is vital to training your brain to get used to success.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Website

Working In Yoga Newsletter

Nicole’s Previous Episode

Nicole’s Spark Strategies Website

Our Sponsor

Sunlight Streams Blog

This week’s episode is part of our fall series on Working In Yoga called Evolving Conversations.

We are taking some of the things that we find most difficult to talk about, and purposely push past the typical talking points into a new realm of conversation.

The subject this week is touch and consent, and there is nobody better to discuss this with than Cheri Dostal Ryba.

So take a listen and tell us what you think.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

-Consent is dynamic, ongoing, and informed.  That means that it is not the same thing every time to every person, it is something that can change and should be rechecked over and over again–even within the same class, and that both the teacher and the student know exactly what is being consented to…every time.

-Don’t have sex with your students.  This shouldn’t need to be said, but I am going to reiterate it because it is important.

-Power dynamics in the yoga studio room matter.  The power dynamic of teachers and students and students with each other all have an impact on how people answer when we ask for consent.

-It is okay to unpack and discover your own voice as a teacher in order to be better at the job.  Ask yourself why you do what you do in a class, why  you say the words you say, and does it serve you and your students, or are you just doing it because you were told to by someone else?

-The subject of consent needs to be moved into the realm of our words to.  Do your students also consent to being lectured about whatever social justice or environmental cause you are passionate about at the moment?  While these things are important, especially to us as yoga practitioners, but consider how and why you say what you say in class.  And if that is what your students signed up for when they came into the room.

-And finally, Make sure you are regulated before you come to class, and especially before you touch people.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Info:

Working In Yoga Website

Working In Yoga Newsletter

Cheri’s Info:

Cheri’s Website

Consent & Touch in Yoga Essential Checklist -

Sponsor:

Sunlight Streams Blog

This is our last episode for Summertime Self-Care for 2023.

What are you doing to recharge yourself before we get busy?

Have you thought through your concrete goals for the fall and winter?

We’ve got some suggestions, as well as a reminder to figure out ways to rest and make your job a little easier—a little more manageable.

We’d be honored if you took a listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

-It is okay to make earning a good and thriving living a goal. It is good for us and for the industry when we value our time and expertise.

-Find ways to make life easier. Plan content in arcs, repeat classes, and value your rest as much as you value your students

-Pressing reset is most effective when we keep ourselves accountable to goals that we set. The rush of creativity when we plan new things is fun, but pairing that with real and tangible goals is how we build the career of our dreams.

RESOURCES:

Working In Yoga Website

Working In Yoga Newsletter

This week we are talking all about “the dip” (thanks Seth Godin for the inspo).

The dip is the inevitable downward slide we all experience when we are on an upward trajectory. And if you ask me, yoga in the West has not prepared us for this experience.

Positive vibes, good thoughts, and a mislabeled idea of what non-attachment is has made us ill-prepared when we think about those times in life, both personal and professional, when things don’t go as planned.

So what do we do?

Take a listen and find out.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

-Dips are part of a natural progression in life. We are often taught that if we are “successful” there are not hard times, but it is much better to normalize the experience of difficulty, boredom, and loss of faith on our path forward.

-Numbers heal. Get to know your finances, monetary goals, and build a clear picture of how to get there.

-Self-care during difficult stretches should be a non-negotiable way to preserve your light and your sanity for the other side of this difficult time.

-Reflection and action, while on their own can be effective, together are a superpower.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Newsletter

Working In Yoga Website

This week on the podcast we talk about starting over again mid-year.

What are your goals now that we are more than halfway through the year?

How can we shift to adjust to the person we have become throughout 2023?

I love doing a mid-year reassessment, and acknowledging where I am now, and if I have stuck to the things I said were important when the year started. Or if those things are even important to me anymore.

So let’s get into it, the new goals of mid-year.

I also answer a listener question today—a great question submitted about yoga teacher training program credential changes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

It is normal to reassess your goals halfway through the year. Do your original goals represent who you are now?

What things can you let go of in order to achieve your goals?

What do you want to take steps to move closer towards in the last half of the year?

Who do you want to be on December 31st, 2023? How do you want to feel on that day? Asking yourself that question can help clarify the goals for the last half of the year.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Website

Rebecca’s Instagram

OUR SPONSOR

Sunlight Streams Self-Care Blog

This week we are talking about summertime in the yoga industry.

As we all likely know, yoga is a seasonal job—and summertime is when we slow down. What happens to us when we want to participate in all the busyness of summertime life in North America and also our cash flow is feeling strapped?

Well, I have a few suggestions.

We will talk about having hobbies, how that is good for the soul, and also the power of a survey.

Stay tuned for the next few weeks as we slide this summertime series right into fall, and make goals, projects, and plant seeds in our businesses that we will see harvested later in the year.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Yoga sometimes gets us very single-minded as adults. It is important for us to have a thriving personal life and to pursue hobbies that keep our spirits up and playful.

It is normal in this business to have a slow summer. Summertime is a great time to do some deep assessment for our business and classes, figuring out what is working for us and what isn’t.

Survey your students. Take the time and be brave, ask for feedback, and use that to become better at your job.

If you are looking to shift your career, you need to make space in your schedule to say yes to the things you want. You will likely have to do this by saying no to some things you are already doing. That takes guts, but I promise, it is worth it.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Website

Rebecca’s Instagram

OUR SPONSOR

Sunlight Streams Self-Care Blog

This week I have Steff Gallante on the podcast, and she and I get to talk about my favorite thing, self-care.

Steff and I are both self-care professionals who hang out in the yoga space and we chat about Ayurveda, Self-Care, and the importance of being able to ask yourself what you really need.

Because that is the thing. It is the thing about yoga, capitalism, the western hustle mindset, about being born and gendered as we are. We are often not taking the time to truly ask ourselves what we need.

Not this summer, Steff and I are going to change that.

Take a listen.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga

Website

Instagram

Professional Development Challenge

Steff Gallante

Website

Instagram

Sunlight Streams

Website

Virtual Retreat

Sometimes you get to meet people whom you admire, and they surprise you by being as cool as you hoped they were.

That has always been the case with Kristine Kaoverii Weber.

Kristine and I met last year at a yoga event and I am not kidding when I say she took the house down with some of her comments on a panel discussion.

She is just as insightful here on this podcast as she discusses her history as a yoga pro, how she shifted online before most of the rest of us, and how self-care in a non-negotiable for her.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

*Please for the love of all that is holy, make your marketing about the people you are talking to. People want to hear your stories, yes, but they really want you to connect with them and speak to their lives and needs. It truly isn't all about you, and for most of us, it makes us uncomfortable when we market that way.

*There is a weird and uncomfortable part of yoga teaching, where you are in the middle of learning to be excellent. And it is uncomfortable, tough, repetitive, and makes you feel like a fraud. But this is part of the up-level of your skills, so let me encourage you to stop fighting the discomfort and settle into it.

*Get on video over and over again. It will become easier.

*Our own self-care is something that is non-negotiable, and it has so much less to do with time and much more to do with your priorities.

*As a gentle reminder, your teaching is not your practice. You need to prioritize yourself and your practice as a yoga teacher. This is not to shame, but to encourage you to rethink and re prioritize yourself as an equal to others--including your students.

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga

Website

Instagram

Professional Development Challenge

Kristine Kaoverii Weber

Website

Facebook

Our Sponsor

Sunlight Streams Blog

Virtual Retreat